System for catching and pumping produced water and oil

ABSTRACT

The present invention comprises a fluid collection system comprising a catch pan, pump, self-contained tank, and means to attach the components together and transport the system.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 62/034,006 filed Aug. 6, 2014, titled“Environmental package that catches and pumps produced water/oil storagetank” and the subject matter thereof is incorporated herein by referencethereto.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to well servicing devices and systems, andparticularly to devices and systems used in servicing petroleum and gasproducing wells.

BACKGROUND ART

Certain embodiments of the invention have other steps or elements inaddition to or in place of those mentioned above. The steps or elementwill become apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of thefollowing detailed description when taken with reference to theaccompanying figures.

In the oil industry, water is produced as a byproduct along the oil andgas. Oil and gas reservoirs often contain water in the same zone as theoil and gas. Oftentimes, this causes large volumes of water to beproduced along with oil wells, and smaller amounts of water to beproduced with gas wells.

A technique known as waterflooding is often used in oil wells to achievemaximum recovery. Waterflooding consists of injecting water into thereservoirs to help force the oil to the production wells.

While this allows for more oil to reach the production wells, theinjected water eventually reaches the production well.

Water that comes out of the production wells, whether it be injectedwater or already in the well prior to drilling, is known as producedwater. Historically, produced water was disposed of in large evaporativeponds whereby the water would simply evaporate. However, due toenvironmental and social concerns, this method has become increasinglyunacceptable.

The physical and chemical properties of produced water vary greatlydepending on various factors, including, the geographic location of thefield, the geological formation from which it comes, and the type ofhydrocarbon product being produced. The properties of produced water caneven vary throughout the lifetime of a single reservoir. The majorconstituents of produced water are: salt, oil and grease, inorganic andorganic chemicals, and naturally occurring radioactive material. Due tothese constituents, most produced water requires at least some treatmentbefore being used. Because of this, the produced water must betransferred to some sort of holding tank during the oil or gasproduction from a well. Collected fluid, in this context, comprisesproduced water, oil, and anything else that comes out of the wellhead.

Prior art for the collection of produced water exist in the prior art.U.S. Pat. No. 6,415,861 entitled “Wellhead fluid collection system”discloses a fluid collection pan connected in-line with a wellheadconduit. US20040182567A1 entitled “Wellhead leak containment and blowoutdeflection apparatus” discloses a containment apparatus for containingfluids from a wellhead. The apparatus then stores these fluids forre-use or disposal.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,441,108 entitled “Fluid spill catching, containing,collection and recovery system for wellheads” discloses a system forcatching, containing, and collecting fluids spilled from a wellhead andfor recovering the fluids by transporting the spilled fluids to thewellhead production flow line.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,506 entitled “Spill collection system for wellheads”discloses a system for collecting and storing spills from an oil rig.U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,244 entitled “Apparatus and method for containingfluids around a wellhead” discloses a portable apparatus and method forcatching and storing fluids from a wellhead.

The prior art apparatuses and methods suffer from various drawbacks,specifically, such apparatuses and methods generally: obstruct the areaaround the wellhead; are cumbersome to install; leak; are expensive;include small storage; and have various issues with the pumping means.

The present invention seeks to overcome these deficiencies associatedwith prior art wellhead systems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a fluid collection system comprising acatch pan, pump, self-contained tank, and means to attach the componentstogether and transport the system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a perspective views of the catch pan of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2B is a perspective views of the catch pan of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is an overhead view of the catch pan of the present invention;and

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the present invention in a traileredconfiguration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The best mode for carrying out the invention will be described herein.The following embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enablethose skilled in the art to make and use the invention. It is to beunderstood that other embodiments would be evident based on the presentdisclosure, and that system, process, or mechanical changes may be madewithout departing from the scope of the present invention.

In the following description, numerous specific details are given toprovide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will beapparent that the invention may be practiced without these specificdetails. In order to avoid obscuring the present invention, somewell-known system configurations, and process steps are not disclosed indetail.

The figures illustrating embodiments of the system are semi-diagrammaticand not to scale and, particularly, some of the dimensions are for theclarity of presentation and are shown exaggerated in the drawingfigures.

The same numbers are used in all the drawing figures to relate to thesame elements. The embodiments have been numbered first embodiment,second embodiment, etc. as a matter of descriptive convenience and arenot intended to have any other significance or provide limitations forthe present invention.

For expository purposes, the term “horizontal” as used herein is definedas a plane parallel to the plane or surface of the apparatus of thepresent invention, regardless of its orientation. The term “vertical”refers to a direction perpendicular to the horizontal as just defined.Terms, such as “above”, “below”, “bottom”, “top”, “side” (as in“sidewall”), “higher”, “lower”, “upper”, “over”, and “under”, aredefined with respect to the horizontal plane, as shown in the figures.The term “on” means that there is direct contact among elements.

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic view of fluid collection system 100.Fluid collection system 100 a catch pan 101 having an upwardly openfluid reservoir 110. Catch pan 101 is adapted to be connected in-linewith the wellhead 109 or blowout preventer, which is not shown. One ormore drains is positioned at the bottom of catch pan 101 foraccommodating withdrawal of collected fluid therefrom. Pump 103 isfluidly connected to catch pan 101 or wellhead 109. Arrow 104 indicatesthe flow of collected fluid from the catch pan 101 or wellhead 109 topump 103 through valve 113. The collected fluid then flows in thedirection of arrow 106 whereby the collected fluid reaches intersection118 and it can be sent in direction of arrow 108 via valve 115 to theself-contained tank 102, onsite storage tanks, or frac tanks, or backdown wellhead 109 via valve 114. A minimum amount of spill-backcomprised of fluid pumped from the self-contained tank 102 in thedirection of 105 through valve 116 and back into the self-contained tank102 in the direction of 106 and 108. Catch pan 101 bolts atop wellhead109 or a blowout preventer that comprises high-pressure valves that sealthe high-pressure drill lines and relieve pressure when necessary toprevent a blowout. Tool hole 111 is large enough to send tools and/orequipment through catch pan 101.

FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective views of catch pan 101 of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective views of catch pan 101 of the presentinvention. Wellhead extension conduit 117 comprises wellhead extensionconduit through bore 203 that allows for connection to wellhead 109.Tool hole 111 and tool hole bore through 201 is large enough to sendtools and/or equipment through catch pan 101. Drainage conduit 112 anddrainage conduit through bore 202 allow for collected fluid to drain outof catch pan 101. Wellhead extension conduit 117 is connected to catchpan 101. Tool hole bore through 201 is a tool hole used for preparationof down hole tools. Wellhead extension conduit 117 is fitted withindustry standard connective flanges for interfacing with wellhead 109or blowout preventer.

FIG. 3 illustrates an overhead view of catch pan 101 of the presentinvention. Wellhead extension conduit 117 and wellhead extension conduitthrough bore 203 and drainage conduit 112 and drainage conduit throughbore 202 allow collected fluid to flow in and out of catch pan 101.Wellhead extension conduit 117 and wellhead extension conduit throughbore 204 are centered in catch pan 101.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic view of the present invention in amounted on carrying vehicle 400. Carrying vehicle 400 consists of aplatform-style trailer that is used to transport the fluid collectionsystem 100 between well sites.

Crane 401 is used to lift catch pan 101 off of carrying vehicle 400 andput in place on wellhead 109. Pump 103 and self-contained tank 102 aremounted upon carrying vehicle 400 to pump and receive, respectively,collected fluid from drainage conduit line 402.

An improvement of the present invention is that it is portable andrelatively inexpensive. An additional improvement of the presentinvention is that it is easy to install. The present invention alsoallows for any number of storage tanks to be used, thus increasingproduction.

Another additional improvement of the present invention is the use ofthe use of spill-back which maintains prime on the pump when and if thefluid from the well ceases to flow or intermittently blow gas and fluid.Previous systems would have pumping issues when vapor locked or loss ofprime occurred.

Another additional improvement of the present invention is the valvesand piping configuration installed make it easy to offload theself-contained tank 102 to a frac tank or storage tank flowing in thedirection of arrow 107 while not stopping work on the well. Previoussystems would have to shut down work if self-contained tanks were full.This system is capable of sending fluid collected in the self-containedstorage tank 102 back down the well; which saves on disposal or transferfees.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with a specificbest mode, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications,and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light ofthe foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace allsuch alternatives, modifications, and variations that fall within thescope of the included claims. All matters previously set forth herein orshown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted in anillustrative and non-limiting sense.

What is claimed is:
 1. A fluid collection system comprising: catch pan;pump; self-contained tank; and means to attach the components togetherand transport the system.